The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1887-05-19
The colored Teachers Institute.
SENSIBLE RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED.

SENSIBLE RESOL UTIONS ADOPTED.
On Wednesday of last week we were furnish
ed with copy of the proceedings of the Con
veution Of Colored Teachers of Augusta Count
he'd in Mt Zion Church the Saturday pr evious
We were forced to defer disqualification unit
this week. :.
The resolutions adopted ara practicable an
sen sible, and should meet With the approval 0
the State Board. 1t is simply absurd to expec
The colored teachers OF the State to save enough
from the meagre salaries they receive to bea
their expenses to the Normal. How they man
age tolive is a problem not easy to solve. A
best, tile school term is very short one,and the
compensation received by the teachers barely
sufficient to decentiy support them during the
time they are actually engaged in the school
house. When the long vacation commence
they must look around for some employment
to keep body and soul together, and to requir;
them to curtail that employment and spent
the money derived from it, in order to more
fully prepare themselves-for a work at which
they can scarcely make a living,is a proposition
that seems ridiculous on its face.
At the convention on the 7th. S. G. Carter wa.
made chairman. and K. H. jackson, secretary
The services were opened with prayer by Rev
Mr.. Young. The proceedings were interesting
and animated, the discussions demonstratius
that the coIsred teachers of Augusta are an in
telligent and active body.
a permanent organization was formed will
the following officers w. b. Davenport
President; w. NJ Carter, Vice President
A. Il. Jackson, Secretary; S. c. Carter
Corresponding Secretary; Miss A. B. Hale
Treasurer; G. II Carter, Chaplain
The committee on resolutions consisting O.
VIZ A Tor Wy
Hall, Miss L. ]. Saunders. j. FL. Becks and D C.
Carter, reported the following resolutions
which were adopted:
Chap. $50, Session acts 1883 and 'S4, in relation
to the Virginia Normal and Collegiate Institute
at Petersburg, entitled an act compelling col
-ored teachers to attend the Summer Normal
school held at the said institute tat the forfeit
of his or her license to teach until after he CT
she shall have attended said institute for the
time required by section of Chap. 49, which
reads as follows When any county or city SUI
perintendent OF schools shall be notified Of the
time of commencement of said summer course,
he shall notify all the co10red SCHOOL teachers
in his city or county, and said teachers shall be
required to attend said summer course at least
one session in every three years except pre-
vented by sickness /; and should any teacher
fail to attend one session, Or any part of said
summer course for three consecutive school
years, then the county superinte ndent shall
revoke said teachers license and he shall not
be again allowed TO enter the profession as a
teacher until he or she shall have attended at
least one session OF said summer session of in
struction, unless excused by The Board of Edu-
cation, and,
WHEREAS, The Board of Education has full
control of the eXcusing and exempting of
teachers from said summer Normal, we, the
eOlored teachers of the county of Augusta in
convention assembled, do hereby memorable
the State Board of Education. lowing to the
neagre salaries paid teachers. and length OF
school term } to excuse Us, the teachers Of the
county of Augusta, from said Normal Institute
until wages become more available and,
uTrrJs rrIrA 10 1ndi Tod fIoff !,
salaries of teachers are threatened by many
circumstances i'll county and state over which
we, teachers, have little or no control we
hereby earnestly petition the State Board of
Education TO urge the repeal of said law.
we, the colored teachers of the county of Au-
gusta, give our endorseme nt TO the resolutions
adopted by the white teachers of said county
at their recent County Institute held In this
city, which read as follows:
1st-1hat the enforcement of the law or regu-
lation, known as the per capita, OF average sys-
tenn is detrimental to the success ofthe schools;
pair discipline and encourage dishonest re-
ports. 1t is a potent power i'll the hands of the
ignorant and vicious gainst the best interests /
of the cause in which we are engaged, and We
most earnestly request our County Superin-
tendent to use his best efforts at the coming
meeting of County Supelintendents of the
State to prevail on that body to recommend to
the state Board of Education the abolition of
this pernicious regulation.
I'd. That the present laws by which the pay
ment of teachers salaries are regulated
roneous and oppressive, and we would recon-
memo tDdb lnGy NC 81 C1lduS6O as 10 permit the
teacher to dlaW his salary upon warrant is
sued by the County Superin tendent upon the
receipt of the teachers monthly report.
The following amendments were offered and
adopted
Resolret!, That we. the colored teachers of Au-
gusta county, do favor | ,cal Peabody Summer
Norlnals in lieu OF the Petersburg Normal-ow-
ing to the small salaries of teachers and the ex-
pense of attending a Normal at that distance.
We wish to assure you that we highly favor a
sectional triennial Normal and earnestly so
lieit your concurrence in the establishment of
n Summer Normal at Staunton some point
west of Gordonsville.
Resolved, That these resolutions be presented
to the State Board OF Education through our
in The Legislature from This
county and city and our county and City Super
Resolved, That these resolutions be published
in all the city papers.
WHEREAS, The future prosperity of our State
ponds upon the Intelligent growth Gifts people
through an organized system for the further
ance of sytematic investigation of educa-
tiona1 work.
therefore, we the olored teachers of Angus.
ia county, i'll convention assembled, as co-lss-
borers i'll the educational work of Virginia, do
hereby recommend the formation of county or
throughout the State. also the for.
nation of district organizations to be outlined
as the present senatorial districts of the State,
and whereas the present State Teachers Asso-
citation Is inactive in its work we therefore rec
otnmerd a re- organization of that body to be
of the cuun y and district 0rSsnza-
lions of the State, and the presidents of said
county and district organizations shall COM
pose the State Executive Committee of the
Teachers Association,